Sunday, April 14, 2013

A FEW EARLY-SEASON NOTES....

The second Sunday of the season is now past, giving us our usual "magic 11 games" worth of data that we've been known to breakout (actually, for most teams, Sunday makes it an even dozen, but who's counting?). So let's just examine a few interesting (and for the very most part, not very meaningful) developments.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

The Yanks seem to have gotten thisVernon Wellsinstead of the one we know...

The Yankees, despite missing A-Rod, Granderson and Teixeira, are still hitting HRs at a better clip than just about anyone in the AL. (OK, yes, they're missing Jeter, too, but let's face it, it's not the long ball that makes chicks dig Derek--it's the gift baskets.) Only the A's have more HRs than the Yanks, what with Lazarus seemingly having an in-body intervention with Vernon Wells. Even Ichiro! has one (!!).

The Red Sox are getting great pitching thus far, with only the Rangers outperforming them. Their hit prevention has been stellar, just a tad better than the Royals.

Slow starts from Josh Hamilton and Mike Trout have hampered the Angels, but it's the Halos' starting staff that has really put the team behind the eight-ball thus far. Jered Weaver's absence isn't going to help things much...only the Mariners have given up more HRs thus far in the AL.

Are we ready to get on Marwyn Gonzalez's bandwagon? No, not really, especially seeing how his first name is an unfortunate collision of the names "Marvell" and "Wynne," which is a most unwelcome mnemonic. The Astros will need another SS to help get them out of what's likely to be a deep hole in the AL West.

The makeovers for the Blue Jays, Rays and Mariners haven't jelled. It's Masterson and Santana in Cleveland, and little else so far.

What starts for Chris Davis and Prince Fielder.

We are happy to see that Lance Berkman took our advice, didn't retire, signed with the Rangers, and is doing just fine thus far. Stay healthy, LB, and crank out a great age-37 season to contradict those folks who've decided that anyone over the age of 32 is ready to be put out to pasture.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Good Lord but the Braves are getting some outrageous pitching thus far. It'll never last, of course...

The only finger in this picture (of the man who will not be running forMayor of Mia[s]mi) that counts is the one located above his glasses...

And forget about what Dodger fans might have done to Carlos Quentin had he played in Los Angeles this coming week...what about what Miami fans might yet do to their owner, Jeffrey Loria, whose embattled team has now scored 20 runs in 12 games, a pace that would produce 270 runs scored for the season.

The Pirates are thankful for the floundering Fish, because they've once again stumbled out of the gate with hitters just about as cold as it's possible to get. They did have quite a closing kick today, however, scoring ten runs in their final two times at bat to upset the Reds, but they still have three hitters (Russell Martin, Gaby Sanchez and Pedro Alvarez) hitting under .100.

The Mets leading the league in RS/G? Take a snapshot of that for posteriority, please.